New group for local gays, lesbians to meet Sunday

NEW BEDFORD — A new group, formed from a desire to reach out to the larger gay community, will hold its first open gathering in New Bedford Sunday.

DON CUDDY

NEW BEDFORD — A new group, formed from a desire to reach out to the larger gay community, will hold its first open gathering in New Bedford Sunday.

The SouthCoast Equality Alliance, an organization representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, plans to meet at the Bristol Building, 752 Purchase St. for a "meet and greet." The event will run from 6-8 p.m.

"It's an alcohol-free event and we're encouraging people to come out, meet people, get connected and share ideas," said Liz DiCarlo who is known for her efforts on behalf of the Marriage Equality Coalition. That coalition worked on behalf of the gay community to successfully defeat a ballot amendment to ban same-sex marriage last summer. The MEC membership decided to harness the energy and goodwill engendered along the South Coast by creating a permanent organization to continue community-building efforts.

"We want to keep that positive momentum going," Ms. DiCarlo said. "People can come to discuss all kinds of issues. There were many straight people involved with MEC. In the past couple of years many people in the community have learned more about what it means to be gay. We're now moving toward more openness and hope these gatherings will help build community. We want to see the broadest gathering of people who will want to be together. One thing we would like to see is more young people coming out."

SEA is a project of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts and a volunteer organization committed to promoting respect and equality for individuals and families regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, through education and advocacy, according to a press release.

SEA also hopes to gauge the level of interest and enthusiasm within the community for a number of projects that have recently been initiated by some of its members. These include a monthly brunch, a video LGBT history project designed to collect the stories of elder members of the gay community, as well as an ongoing photo exhibit entitled "Families of the SouthCoast: Portraits of Diversity".

SEA members and friends will be gathering for the first monthly Sunday Brunch at the Green Bean, 740 Purchase St., on April 6, from noon to 2 p.m. For more information, call SEA at (508) 536-5991.